Wrecking-frog



(No Model.)

G. P. ROYCE 8:; G. ELGIES.

, WREGKING FROG. 4 No. 406,236. Patented July 2, 1889 FIGJ.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROYCE AND GERIIARD E. GIES, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WRECKlNG-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,236, dated July 2, 1889.

Application filed February 1, 1889 T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES F. RoyoE and GERHARD E. GIEs, citizens of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a certain new and useful Improvement in \Vrecking-Frogs, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in that class or kind of railroad appliances employed for replacing car-wheels in proper position upon the rails, and generally known as wrecking-frogs or car-replacers. These devices consist, generally, in a guide-block, which is provided with grooves or ribs for guiding the wheels into proper relation to the rails while raising one of the wheels to the proper elevation, and a lifting-block, whose sole function is to raise the other wheel sufficiently high to permit the flange of said wheel to pass over the rail. Sometimes both parts or elements of the wrecking-frog are made counterparts one of the other, but are objectionable on account of the liability of so dropping the wheel which is outside of the rails that the flange of the wheel, for a purpose hereinafter stated,

will strike the tread of the rail, thereby dainaging either the rail or the flange of the wheel or both. The guiding part or element of the frogs now in use is so constructed that the wheel is, while being replaced, supported solely by its flange, the weakest part of the wheel, and therefore frequently broken and rendered useless; and, further, the comparatively-sharp flange so cuts into the surface of the guide-block as to render it useless after being used to replace one or two cars.

The object of the invention herein is to provide for supporting the wheel on its tread while being shifted into proper relation to the rail by a groove so proportioned as to operate only on the sides of the flange.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of railroad-track showing our improved wrecking-frog in position for replacing the wheels of a car upon the rails. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line a m, Fig. 1, a pair of wheels being shown to illustrate the operation of the invention. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views, on an enlarged scale, of the Serial No. 298,347. (No model.)

guide-frog, showing the same in side, front, and rear elevations, respectively. Fig. 6' is a sectional view of theclamp employed for securing the guide-block to the rail.

The appliance consists of two parts-i. 6., the guide-block 1 and the lifting-block 2. The latter, whose principal function is to raise the wheel lying outside of the rails to the proper height to permit of the passage of the flange of the wheel across the rail, is preferably formed of a block of wood, preferably of a thickness somewhat greater than the combined height of the rail and the depth of the wheel-flange, and from apoint approximately midway of its length the block is tapered so as to form a thin edge at one end. The upper and lower sides of this block are faced with heavy sheet or plate metal, held in place by bolts or rivet passing through the block to prevent injury thereto. The guide-block 1 is also formed of a block of wood of a thickness for a part of its length equal to or slight-1y greater than the height of the rail, and from a point approximately midway of its length it is made tapering to a thin edge at one of its ends. At

its thick end the block is made of a width approximately equal to the width of the tread and gradually increases in width toward its thin end, where it has awidth approximately equal to twice the width of the rim of the wheel. In the face of this block is formed a groove 3, extending the entire length of the block. This groove, at the thick end of the block, is preferably made to conform in contour to the flange of the wheel, but is made of depth and width somewhat greater than the corresponding dimensions of the wheel-flange. This groove gradually widens toward the thin end of the block, where it has a width a little less than the width of the rim of the wheel, the depth of the groove remaining constant. As this groove is formed in the middle of the face of the block, it follows that aledge, or, as it might be termed, a tread 4 is formed on each side of the block, and as the groove is deeper than the flange, and as the groove is at all points narrower than the rim of the wheel, it follows that the tread of the wheel must, as soon as it rises upon the block, rest upon one or the other of the treads 4,

and that only the sides of the wheel-flangecan come into contact with the block, and that only on the sides of the groove. As the groove is located along the middle of the block, it is necessary that the thick end of the block should have such a width'i. c., not greater than the tread of the wheelthat the wheel will rest as regards a portion of its tread upon the rail as it leaves the block; and the groove is made of a width at its thin-end not greater than the width of the wheel-rim, in order to insure the wheel-tread mounting upon the tread at as soon as the wheel strikes the block. The block is covered on both faces with heavy sheet or plate metal, in order to protect the same from injury. At its thin end the block is provided with pointed studs 5, which canv be forced into the ties to prevent any displacement of the block.

For securing the block 1 in proper relation to the rail a clamp 6, provided with jaws 7 and 8, is employed. The clamp which passes under the rail and block is made'of a length between its jaws equal to the combined widths of the rail-flange and the block at or near its thick or high end, the jaw 7 being constructed to bear upon the upper side of the rail-flange and the jaw 8 to pass up alongside of the block and bear upon one of its treads l. As the vertical portion of the jaw 8 made a shade shorter than the thickness of the block at its extreme end, the block can be tightly held in the jaws, so as to prevent any turning thereof. In order to permit of the arrangement of the block at different angles to the rail and also to permit its being held by the same clamp to either rail, the inner face of the vertical portion of the jaw S is reversely beveled at its edges, as shown in Fig. 6.

\Vhile it is preferred to form the blocks 1 and 2 of wood and protect the same by heavy sheet or plate metal, they may be formed ontirely of wrought or cast iron or steel.

The provision of treads 4, separated by a distance less than the rim of the wheel, is a matter of great importance when engineshaving blind drivers are to be retracked, such treads forming a firm support for the drivers. It will be noticed that by making the inclined faces of the blocks comparatively short the wheels will be raised above the level of the rails before being guided into such close proximity to the rails that the wheels will come into contact therewith.

\Ve claim herein as our invention 1. In a wrecking-frog, a tapering guideblock having a central groove of a depth greater than the flange of a car-whecl and gradually increasing in width toward the thin end of the frog, and provided with treads along each edge, substantially as set forth.

2, In a wrecking frog, the combination of a tapering guide-block, and a clamp adapted to pass under the rail and guide and provided at one end with a jaw constructed to engage the flange of the rail and at its opposite end with a jaw constructed to have a firm bearing upon the side and top of the block, the portion of the jaw bearing upon the side of the block having reversely-bevelcd edges, substantially as set forth.

In a wrecking-frog, the combination of a guiding-block and a lifting-block, said blocks being made for a part of their length of a height suiticient to support the wheel at or above the level of the rails, the remaining portions being inclined, the guiding-block having a central groove of a depth greater than the flange of a car-wheel and gradually increasing in width toward the thin end of the frog, and provided with treads along each edge, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hcreun to set our hands.

CHARLES F. ROYCE. GERIIARD E. GIES. \Vitnesses:

R. H. \VHITILESEY, DARWIN S. WoLcoTr. 

